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Recommend one underplayed game in a paragraph

I've done a couple suggestion threads in the past and they have always come up with plenty of interesting answers - however it is all too often that someone provides a huge meaningless list of hundreds of games or that game names are dropped without any explanation. So I thought it would be interesting if I got people to recommend just *one* game per post, and if they had to write a little paragraph about why it is so good. Try and avoid major mainstream games - they already have big marketing budgets to help them out! Things like alpha-funding projects, indie games, little funky things like Kerbal Space Programme would be ideal.

Example:

My recommendation would be OpenTTD, I've come back to this game so many times. It's essentially a game where you build railway networks that will eventually contains hundreds of trains whizzing around and will soon become completely ridiculous with gigantic backlogs and absurdly sprawling track layouts. What I love so much about this game is that there are so many levels of enjoyment to it - just getting your first little track from a coal mine to a power plant going and seeing it all in operation is lovely in itself. Making this little tracks are fun, but then you move on to larger networks that soon spiral out of control, and after that there is an immense amount of depth that can be found by looking online to find incredibly complicated designs and systems. Essentially, the game can be enjoyed at any level.

If one doesn't expect Jagged Alliance: Back in Action to be a 3D version of JA2 1.13 but instead plays it for what it is one can find a fine tactical game. While the strategic level is basic at best, the post release patches have gone a long way to eliminating bugs and making the combat experience better all around. Avoid the item DLC, but the two mission DLC are alright for a buck or two each. For those who cannot separate this game from the original, the Crossfire expandalone makes a fine, if somewhat smaller, alternative.

It was a tough choice between Avernum (for the same reasons too) and this, but going to have go with Gothic 1/2. Gothic gets exploration and geography in a way that has never been gotten before or since. The most unique thing about the game is geography. Every time you see a hill curve around something, you can probably find a hidden valley. Every path has its secrets, and if you wander into the woods you will find something new; perhaps it's dangerous, perhaps it's helpful. The masterful geography is aided through advanced ecology. Wolves hunt birds, raptors hunt wolves, trolls kill any that step into their lairs, goblins stake out their own territory. All of these creatures are deadly, and they all stake out hunting grounds that interact, making the world feel alive. Finally, you'll change armor maybe five times in the game and weapons maybe seven. This makes every piece of gear critical, every piece of ore you can use to make runes critical. So a need to explore, the need to get new gear, is balanced on the knife-edge of a need to survive. You'll use the look over your shoulder button heavily as you run away. But you'll be back, eagerly exploring the hidden corners of the world, looking for one more secret.

The Colonel's Bequest (aka the first Laura Bow game)--This has always held a special place in my heart just because it's kind of an oddity as an adventure game. It's really more like the video game equivalent of one of those murder mystery dinner theater things than it is a traditional adventure game. It's short enough to encourage replaying, is timed (so depending on where you are you might miss important details or discover new things on different play throughs), and none of the puzzles are really necessary to beat the game. It's even possible to finish the game without discovering who the murder is at all, which is kind of cool. I remember loving it when I first played it years ago just because the timed sequences and missable content made it feel like you were in a living, breathing, world that will go on without you, rather than the typical adventure game format where the entire world stops until you solve the next puzzle. Plus, the 1920s setting is awesome. There are still so few games like this out there that if you are an adventure game fan you really need to try it at some point.

Waveform: it's like nothing else I've ever played, it has aspects of a horiz. shooter and aspects of a puzzle - it requires lateral thinking and rewards replay and the developer was so cool he gave away the DLC to an already lengthy game FOR FREE to people who'd bought the original game before it was super-discounted.

If you are into multiplayer first person shooters you might like Counter Strike! It's a round- and team-based game that pits terrorists against counter-terrorists in two different game modes. One where the terrorists has to plant a bomb in one out of two predetermined "zones" and the counter-terrorists try to disarm it and another mode where the counter-terrorists try to rescue some hostages that the terrorists are guarding. Depending of how well you and your team does in a round you get money that you can use to buy weapons and other equipment that stays until you use it or die or the match is over. There are several different iterations of the game and they are all good but I prefer Global Offensive, the latest. :)

Against all my expectations (as I usually bounce of the things) a text adventure is my current game of the year. Counterfeit Monkey does for removing letters from words to make other words what Portal did for harnessing the powers of quantum tunneling for teleportation purposes. In other words there are constantly clever puzzles (with multiple solutions) which give you a satisfied smile when you figure them out and a constant drip feed of new mechanics to keep you hooked. I guarantee you will end up with the most esoteric inventory you have ever seen in an adventure game. Plus the story is thoughtful, clever and told with wit and verve. Oh and the map is gorgeous. Go play - http://emshort.wordpress.com/2012/12...erfeit-monkey/

It's 2vs2 multiplayer, it's not about killing, oh killing can happen but it's just a side line, ultimately its a game about time. In 10 minutes the mercenary defenders win, for their opposition the spies to win they must complete a number of objectives which vary from map to map. It's very personal, you will learn about how well you plan and cooperate because without true teamwork you will lose.

It's a TBS game about tough choices. Everything needs doing *now* but you can only pick between a scant few of those things per turn. Every possible action you can take in a turn consumes a finite number of action points. This melds nicely with the post-apocalyptic wasteland setting (limited fuel/resources) which is further enhanced by the excellent artwork for units/heros/ect. Each game requires you to fashion a "deck" of asset cards to enter the game with and customizing thematic or challenge decks keeps the replay value going. Mr Kieron Gillen wrote pretty words about it. Oh, and it has a terrible UI. It still rules.

Medievil 2* - you're undead skeleton of fine English gentleman fighting baddies with your own arm, musket and in one moment you must wear top hat, monocle and fake beardstache to successfully infiltrate gentleman's club.

It's a TBS game about tough choices. Everything needs doing *now* but you can only pick between a scant few of those things per turn. Every possible action you can take in a turn consumes a finite number of action points. This melds nicely with the post-apocalyptic wasteland setting (limited fuel/resources) which is further enhanced by the excellent artwork for units/heros/ect. Each game requires you to fashion a "deck" of asset cards to enter the game with and customizing thematic or challenge decks keeps the replay value going. Mr Kieron Gillen wrote pretty words about it. Oh, and it has a terrible UI. It still rules.

Is it fun with the AI? I played Solium Infernum, I really enjoyed doing with other people because the game is so focused on scheming and plotting and people can mastermind giant evil plans, but (obviously) the AI can't be quite so devious.

AE doesn't have multiplayer (unfortunately). The AI is competent and fairly challenging, though there are a few easy-win tactics I prefer to avoid. Half the fun of the game is deck building, trying to make different strategies that work well.

AE doesn't have multiplayer (unfortunately). The AI is competent and fairly challenging, though there are a few easy-win tactics I prefer to avoid. Half the fun of the game is deck building, trying to make different strategies that work well.

2D brawler with a Capcom combo system, very solid combat. It features equipment, path branching and lots of secrets. It launched as an arcade game but you can play in an emulator, even online with GGPO.

Pretty much anything emulators. I grew up with them yet it's a topic that doesn't show up in most PC Gaming communities.

Is it fun with the AI? I played Solium Infernum, I really enjoyed doing with other people because the game is so focused on scheming and plotting and people can mastermind giant evil plans, but (obviously) the AI can't be quite so devious.

The AI is decent enough but not much of a challenge once you've mastered the mechanics. I'm still able to get a very tough fight by running thematic decks like, for instance, a Light Infantry Brigade with scouts/mechanized infantry with a few medium armor groups which must be carefully horded (and maybe some mortars and air support if they've been very good). I've spent far too much time crafting decks instead of playing the actual game. Then of course there is Ironman mode and a free expansion adds optional doomsday cults/beasts which all 4 civs need to deal with before resuming killing each other. Those can be pretty damn hard.

I tried a game or two of Solium Infernum single player and gave up on it quick as it was awful dull vs just the AI. AE is more suited to singleplay.

Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder. Probably the best lovecraftian horror game you can find on PC, and a good adventure game on top of that. Slowly building atmosphere, no jump scares really and only one "go hide fast"-moment.

Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder. Probably the best lovecraftian horror game you can find on PC, and a good adventure game on top of that. Slowly building atmosphere, no jump scares really and only one "go hide fast"-moment.

This has peaked my interest.

Richard and Alice, is brilliant AGS game about 2 people in a post apocalyptic (not with a bang but a whimper scenario) prison sharing stories. The majority of the game is played as a mother (Alice) trying to defend her child in a hostile world (think the road), and it really hits the emotional nail on the head.